Anybody do awful VR on the 6/16/11 test

[duke2121]

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[Bo Diddley]

I'm pretty sure you get your money back if it turns out that there was an error. Sheeeeeit, if they had any sympathy, they'd also provide some sort of letter to med. schools.

 

[paul411]

From the scores reported on SDN:

6/16/2011 8AM VR (n=25):

• 10.2 Average
• 10 Median
• 7 Range (Max - Min)

6/16/2011 2 PM VR (n=24):

• 9.5 Average
• 10 Median
• 10 Range (Max - Min)

5/26/2011 VR (n=46)

• 9.9 Average
• 10 Median
• 8 Range (Max - Min)

The data doesn't suggest any flagrant discrepancies between administrations. The MCAT is scaled to remain statistically robust so you might have had an easier VR section (with a harsher curve). C'est la vie.

Data Source: http://goo.gl/O3P0t

 

[nola2016]

you cant always take into account the data doesnt suggest it because not everyone that got a bad score will post that they did. its just how it goes, someone is more likely to post they had a 30+ than someone that got <25.

personally, i believe it is possible I could have missed 20+ questions to score a 5, but yet i was scoring an average of 12 on the practice tests. unlikely, but thats just how VR works.

 

[paul411]

you cant always take into account the data doesnt suggest it because not everyone that got a bad score will post that they did. its just how it goes, someone is more likely to post they had a 30+ than someone that got <25.

You're right that higher scoring candidates tend to post their scores more often; that's why the average score of the self-reported SDN data (~30) is significantly higher than the national MCAT mean (25).

That's why I compared self-reported scores on SDN from two administrations (5/26/2011 and 6/16/2011). I'm not comparing the self-reported scores to national averages.

personally, i believe it is possible I could have missed 20+ questions to score a 5, but yet i was scoring an average of 12 on the practice tests. unlikely, but thats just how VR works.

The curve could've been much steeper. You might've had <20 questions wrong; It doesn't matter, it's scaled by question difficultly to remain statistically robust on the whole.

 

[nola2016]

You're right that higher scoring candidates tend to post their scores more often; that's why the average score of the self-reported SDN data (~30) is significantly higher than the national MCAT mean (25).

That's why I compared self-reported scores on SDN from two administrations (5/26/2011 and 6/16/2011). I'm not comparing the self-reported scores to national averages.



The curve could've been much steeper. You might've had <20 questions wrong; It doesn't matter, it's scaled by question difficultly to remain statistically robust on the whole.

i agree, but at the same time, we won't know. I understand completely the scores are still at a good curve, but at the same time, this is SDN, not many people will post a bad score, and people are more likely to post a high score, so we'll have to see when rescoring comes around.

 

[thomasfx10]

Took 8 am exam ... been scoring 8's and 9's for VR and scored an 8. No surprise for me. Still going to retake

 

[KareemM]

Just like everyone else, I was averaging 10s on the AAMC VR practices, and I get stamped with a fat 4 on this test. Just like that, the test is essentially meaningless. I'm just as pissed as everyone else and given the sheer number of these problems there literally has to be something wrong.

EDIT: Just talked to the MCAT "help desk" and was told they can't launch an investigation of any rescoring problems unless it's a test center concern. So I'm submitting both the rescoring and test center concern forms (against Prometric).
Either way, it looks like some of us are spending the next month studying.
I suggest everyone submit both of these forms, as the bigger the problem is, the more obligated they are to investigate.
If you don't know what to include, see p28 and p30 of this: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/63060/data/mcatessentials.pdf

Best of luck to you all!

Hey Dude sorry to hear about that, I was actually averaging 9's on my VR and was averaging 29-31's on the practice tests but ended up getting a 5 on VR. There definately had to be something wrong. I will be submitting both of these documents and hopefully they will rescore and I can get a couple points higher because at this point my score was so low that most lower tier schools wouldn't even send me a secondary application even though I just graduated from UCSD in Human biology with a 3.9 GPA and I have 2 research projects and tons of clinical experience. Hopefully this rescoring thing will work, but either way I signed up to take the test again on September 10th and will defintely be spending the next month studying. Good luck and I pray that the rescoring will work in our favor because something was defintely wrong with that test. Also, I took the test at prometric so thats more of a reson for me to file that document against them. I hope it all works out and keep me posted with what happens in your case. The best of luck bro!!!

 

[Bo Diddley]

Just like everyone else, I was averaging 10s on the AAMC VR practices, and I get stamped with a fat 4 on this test. Just like that, the test is essentially meaningless. I'm just as pissed as everyone else and given the sheer number of these problems there literally has to be something wrong.

EDIT: Just talked to the MCAT "help desk" and was told they can't launch an investigation of any rescoring problems unless it's a test center concern. So I'm submitting both the rescoring and test center concern forms (against Prometric).
Either way, it looks like some of us are spending the next month studying.
I suggest everyone submit both of these forms, as the bigger the problem is, the more obligated they are to investigate.
If you don't know what to include, see p28 and p30 of this: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/63060/data/mcatessentials.pdf

Best of luck to you all!

"We will investigate any concern received within 10 days following an exam; however the processing time may be longer. Complaints received after 10 days will not be investigated."

Yeah, I know, f*** monopolies.

I can't even begin to explain how hilarious I find it that one of the main components of becoming a doctor, one of the most important public and discussion-oriented professions in the world, is taking a test so secretive that it would make the aliens from Area 51 **** themselves.

 

[NickNaylor]

"We will investigate any concern received within 10 days following an exam; however the processing time may be longer. Complaints received after 10 days will not be investigated."

Yeah, I know, f*** monopolies.

I can't even begin to explain how hilarious I find it that one of the main components of becoming a doctor, one of the most important public and discussion-oriented professions in the world, is taking a test so secretive that it would make the aliens from Area 51 **** themselves.

Start your own company and make a better exam.

 

[La Doctora]

I wish I wouldn't have stumbled onto this, I'm slightly freaked out about taking my exam this week now.

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

LOL I was definitely caught up in the moment last week about my low verbal score. I'm glad I got it rescored, but I've come to terms that I might just suck at VR.

 

[Bo Diddley]

Start your own company and make a better exam.

I would, but you know as well as I do that academia is hell-bent on tradition. It's the reason the abysmal GPA system still exists.

And it's so damn ironic because the point of university is to encourage progress.

Also, don't misconstrue my comment. I'm not complaining; I'm just stating that I find it hilarious -- irony is hilarious.

 

[mitchlucker]

Did you guys find the passages on the real test to be much more difficult/longer than the practices?

The posts in this thread are a bit scary for me as I'm taking my test at the beginning of August. I feel like getting a 4 is almost like guessing the entire time.

 

[snikkle]

The passages were as expected.. No harder, maybe even slightly easier. It's a toss-up with VR sometimes, but don't worry about anything BEFORE you even take the test. It's just going to mess with your nerves, and your score will plummet. Think positive, and i'm sure you'll get the score you want.

 

[Freigeist]

there are certainly people who got normal scores who won't be posting in this thread.

for comparison, I took the 2pm test and only did 1 point lower than my AAMC average

The VR section seemed easier than normal and thus, the curve may be harsher

 

[rockyDoctora]

What does the average constitute? Like doesn't it depend on what VR material they were practicing with? I.e. Kaplan, EK101, TPR, BR, etc.

I'm wondering what kind of prep people have done. And if theyre comparing it to the AAMC or their other practice material. Just curious because I'm weak in VR and trying to find insight in this issue.

 

[Research3r]

If everyone writes again at the end of August, then the exam is going to be a brutal curve.... I don't want to get killed on my exam, it's my last chance for med and I need a VR of 10!!

 

[snikkle]

If everyone writes again at the end of August, then the exam is going to be a brutal curve.... I don't want to get killed on my exam, it's my last chance for med and I need a VR of 10!!

The "curve" is a set scale based on previous administrations of the same passages. You aren't competing with others taking the same test.

 

[mitchlucker]

The "curve" is a set scale based on previous administrations of the same passages. You aren't competing with others taking the same test.

So this means that our experimental passages are basically setting the curve for future test takers?

 

[paul411]

So this means that our experimental passages are basically setting the curve for future test takers?

Yes.

 

[mitchlucker]

Yes.

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

So I received a letter from the AAMC apologizing for a verbal scoring error. Apparently they switched the key for passages 3,4, and 5, and I scored an 11 in VR.

I checked by THx and it has been updated.

...and then I woke up.

In all seriousness, I'm still waiting on a rescore, though I already know nothing will come of it. It's worth $55 even for the chance of a 1 pt change.

 

[kehlsh]

So I received a letter from the AAMC apologizing for a verbal scoring error. Apparently they switched the key for passages 3,4, and 5, and I scored an 11 in VR.

I checked by THx and it has been updated.

...and then I woke up.

In all seriousness, I'm still waiting on a rescore, though I already know nothing will come of it. It's worth $55 even for the chance of a 1 pt change.

dude u got me excited after reading first 3 sentences...

anticlimatic 4th sentence, i must say lol

 

[paul411]

So I received a letter from the AAMC apologizing for a verbal scoring error. Apparently they switched the key for passages 3,4, and 5, and I scored an 11 in VR.

I checked by THx and it has been updated.

...and then I woke up.

In all seriousness, I'm still waiting on a rescore, though I already know nothing will come of it. It's worth $55 even for the chance of a 1 pt change.

When are you going to receive the results of the re-score?

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

When are you going to receive the results of the re-score?

They received my money/request two weeks ago, so no more than two weeks from now. I'm already complete at 10 schools, so it makes little difference at this point.

I have no idea how they will alert me of my rescore results. Mail, e-mail, phone call, messenger, telegram, or simply updating my THx. Who knows?

 

[paul411]

Well, be sure to let us know what happens regardless of the outcome.

 

[tman5890]

So I received a letter from the AAMC apologizing for a verbal scoring error. Apparently they switched the key for passages 3,4, and 5, and I scored an 11 in VR.

I checked by THx and it has been updated.

...and then I woke up.

In all seriousness, I'm still waiting on a rescore, though I already know nothing will come of it. It's worth $55 even for the chance of a 1 pt change.

Had me excited for you guys and then I read on...Hopefully goods things are to come! Good luck!

 

[musicaldna]

Sorry to hear your stories folks
there are guys like you who were disappointed by their VR scores
and then there are ppl like me who were pleasantly shocked at theirs

I got 11 in VR..8 AM session. It's the highest I have ever gotten on my practice tests, only twice if I remember correctly. My range was 7-10. So it was definitely unexpected for me.

On the other hand, my BS of 10 did shock me in a very very bad way but that is irrelevant to the topic of this thread.

 

[KareemM]

Has anyone heard back from AAMC with any rescores?

 

[PopeJoja]

I bet aamc won't release the results of the rescore until after the due date of being able to rescore. Thus, the suckers (me included) who didn't rescore will be so enraged if there was a huge increase in points. I won't be too upset since my VR practices are starting to make up for my post mcat madness. 🙂 I hope next weeks MCAT isn't like this one's. Anyway, good luck everyone and keep on working hard 🙂

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

Anyone hear anything?

 

[PopeJoja]

i'm guessing rescoring didn't do much. Oh well, wish me luck on my retake tomorrow. I'm hoping the verbal curve isn't harsh at all. 🙂 always optimistic

 

[kehlsh]

Yea let us please know what you get hear back... I'm also part of verbal fail from this test administration, but didn't submit rescore because I knew I wasn't prepared enough at that time =P

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

It's been 4 weeks and I haven't heard anything lol. I called yesterday, and they said I should hear something by next week (based on his prompt -_-). He said that each rescore is confidential and discrete, and that he didn't know if rescoring has ever actually worked.

 

[nola2016]

Chances are, my rescore will come in right before my sept2 test date. HOPEFULLY, i jump from a 5 anywhere from 8-9+ =D

Either way, I've reprepared to retake by buying TPRH books, doing GS test[holy mtfer these are harder @__@], and EK 101 verbal.

 

[PopeJoja]

is it too late for me to rescore? I"m getting a little paranoid. Maybe it's taking this long because they actually found something.

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

is it too late for me to rescore? I"m getting a little paranoid. Maybe it's taking this long because they actually found something.

Unfortunately, I believe you only have 30 days after your score is released to have your test rescored. I still haven't heard anything yet 😕

 

[paul411]

Still no word on the rescores?

 

[PopeJoja]

Still no word on the rescores?

I know . I'm dying to hear since i am getting a little paranoid. Though, it helps that I already retook it and feel better than last time. haha

 

[paul411]

I don't think anything's gonna change, to be frank.

 

[nola2016]

maybe there was something wrong. I'm still waiting also

 

[KareemM]

I haven't heard anything yet and I submitted my re-score on the 21st of July. Honestly, Im not expecting much out of it but for it to take this long makes me think something's going on. Hopefully it will work in all of our favors. Just keep your heads up and keep praying. Always, however, expect the worst and hope for the best!!!

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

I called because it's been >5 weeks, and they said my rescore will be sent out early next week.

 

[nola2016]

early next week, man...i was hoping we would find out for sure before my sept2 test so that way if i scored higher on verbal, i wouldnt even go take it! @__@

 

[stsa84]

That's ridiculous how long it takes. You should be able to request a rescore of the MC, and leave the writing section as is. Without a writing rescore, anything beyond a week is ridiculous. I took this day and did fine...fingers crossed for you guys. Hope you get your rescores soon and get some wanted news.

 

[muhali3]

AAMC - we are disappointed. I want to talk to your supervisor.

 

[nola2016]

That's ridiculous how long it takes. You should be able to request a rescore of the MC, and leave the writing section as is. Without a writing rescore, anything beyond a week is ridiculous. I took this day and did fine...fingers crossed for you guys. Hope you get your rescores soon and get some wanted news.

nah, u can select either MC or writing or both. I chose of course MC section only, so this is just baffling how long it takes...-___-;

 

[HydroBender]

I believe it is taking the AAMC employees this long to read the 2pm VR section passages. I thought I was reading seven dissertations on test day rather than reading normal VR passages.

 

[Oncoloman]

AAMC - we are disappointed. I want to talk to your supervisor.

I went through this last year. I wont say what happened on my part but I figured it was just best to retake. Waste of time and money for me. They are the people who make the test, they do what they want. I got tired of fighting them.

 

[LadyRugger]

I know this is very late... but I only just found this thread... I took the exam on 4/9 and got a 6 in VR for a 24Q. I'd gotten a 7 on my first AAMC practice test, but then ranged between 9-12. I was shocked and surprised -- I knew it was awful, but I never imagined I could score that low. My pre-med advisor joked that maybe I filled in the wrong bubbles, ha, if only...

I retook the exam on 7/16 -- and got the 10 in VR. I even went up 1 pt in BS and 2 pts in PS. I honestly think the nerves of the first time taking the test have a lot to do with the awful scores. With verbal once you hit one rough spot its so easy to self-destruct. I put wayy too much pressure on myself the first time around. I really did not do any additional "studying" for the second test (only 3 months later, with one month off from studying while I waited for my first score) just reviewed my notes and did some practice problems. I tried to be cool and calm. My apps were already in, so there was nothing less to lose -- I guess it worked because I went up 7pts.

For those of you retaking in September - I recommend just not worrying and thinking about "what if I fail again" or scoring errors, etc. Just be confident -- at this point you know it all. I actually had "fun" taking the MCAT the second time around because I was able to work the problems instead of just guessing. I also stayed at a hotel across from the testing center the night before, so I could just walk over and not worry about driving or parking, that really helped!

Good luck to everyone taking the Sept exams!